Philippines steps up drills with U.S., Japan forces near South China Sea

The Philippines will hold separate naval exercises with U.S. and Japanese forces this week on a Philippine island that is not far from the disputed Spratly archipelago, where China's rapid creation of seven island outposts is stoking regional tensions.

23/06/2015

Weekly News 22/6-28/6

-(Philstar 26/06) China: Philippines dragging others to South China Sea dispute: "It is our consistent position that bilateral military cooperation should be conducive to regional peace and stability, and should not compromise the interest of any third party," Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said. -(SCMP 26/06) China, US reaffirm commitment to 'avoid military confrontation' in South...

22/06/2015

U.S. calls China’s South China Sea building efforts ‘troubling’

The U.S. finds China’s efforts to build military facilities on reclaimed South China Sea islands “troubling” and plans to raise the issue during annual talks in Washington this month, a top State Department official said.

19/06/2015

Weekly Bulletin 8/6-14/6

G7 leaders oppose island-building in South China Sea; Pentagon chief urges China to stop island building; Philippines, Vietnam first to suffer environmental cost of China's reclamation...

18/06/2015

Massive Island-Building and International Law

China’s massive island building is both a provocative alteration of the security situation in the South China Sea and blow for the marine environment, but it cannot be justified either as “entirely within China’s sovereignty” or as consistent with maritime law.

18/06/2015

UN tribunal to hear PHL case vs. China in July

Even without China's participation, the United Nations' arbitration court has scheduled the oral arguments on the Philippines’ case questioning Beijing’s massive claim in the South China Sea, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

16/06/2015

Weekly News 15/6-21/6

-(Bloomberg 19/6) U.S. calls China’s South China Sea building efforts ‘troubling’, plans to raise the issue during annual talks in Washington this month. -(The Diplomat 19/6) South China Sea: Satellite images show pace of China reclamation on Subi reef: China is adding 8 acres a day, while other images corroborate Malaysia on South Luconia Shoals.

15/06/2015

Pentagon repeats call for China to end island building, seeks more military contact

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter met a top Chinese general on Thursday and repeated a U.S. call for a halt to land reclamation in the South China Sea while stressing that the Pentagon remained committed to expanding military contacts with China.

12/06/2015

Weekly Bulletin 1/6-7/6

China Coast Guard vessel found at Luconia Shoals, Malaysia; Vietnam, US ink Joint Vision Statement; US Navy to continue patrols in disputed waters; Philippine President visits Japan...

11/06/2015

G7 says concerned about tensions in the East and South China Seas

The leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations said on Monday they were concerned about tensions in the East and South China Seas and called for countries to abide by international law.

09/06/2015